1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an enzyme preparation for use in the production of bound-formed food (i.e., three-dimensionally-formed food by binding), and to a process for the production of bound-formed food.
2. Prior Art
Various processes have been attempted in relation to the binding forming of food raw materials. The following illustrates six typical binding forming processes, with problems involved in each process.
For example, (1) Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open (Kokai) No. Sho 55-13031 discloses a process in which binding of small pieces of animal meat, fish meat and the like is effected by the use of konjak powder, (2) Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open (Kokai) No. Sho 53-20457 discloses a process in which binding of food proteins such as milk protein, egg protein, wheat protein, soybean protein and the like is effected by the use of enzyme hydrolyzates of these proteins and kitchen salt, and (3) Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open (Kokai) No. Sho 53-26345 discloses a process in which binding of meat pieces is effected by applying dried powder of a raw fish meat paste to the meat pieces and then heating the thus treated pieces.
However, meat pieces and food proteins bound by such processes are apt to be broken, e.g., when they are made into block meat or sliced meat in the raw state, thus causing a problem in that sufficiently bound conditions cannot be maintained till their cooking or further processing.
Also included are (4) a process in which binding of meat pieces is effected by applying an alginate to the meat pieces and then gelatinizing it by the addition of a calcium salt, and (5) a process disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open (Kokai) No. Hei 2-268665 in which binding of meat pieces is effected by the combined use of a heat-coagulating protein such as wheat protein or the like and an alkaline earth metal agent such as calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide or the like which gives alkalinity when dissolved in water.
However, in the former case (aforementioned process (4)), the process not only shows low binding effect but also has inferior workability because it requires two addition steps, namely application of an alginate to the meat pieces and subsequent addition of calcium salt or the like. In addition to this, it has another disadvantage in that the resulting product shows poor appearance due to the partly remaining insoluble calcium. In the latter case (process (5)), on the other hand, not only the process shows poor binding effect but also the resulting product is not desirable from the view point of the taste inherent in meat because of its bitter aftertaste, proteinous odor and the like.
In addition, (6) Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open (Kokai) No. Hei 2-79956 discloses a process in which binding of meat pieces is effected by making the meat piece surface viscous to secure a high binding effect, that is, by adding kitchen salt to the meat pieces and then crumpling them with hands or mechanically using a tumbler to liquate myosin.
However, this process also has disadvantages in that it requires a large quantity of kitchen salt which causes a salty aftertaste and it also requires heating to effect the binding, thus resulting in the considerably limited use of the bound meat pieces for food products.
3. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
Because of such problems involved in the prior art, great concern has been directed, in the field of process food industries, toward the development of a binding agent and a binding method by which the production of bound-formed foods (i.e., three-dimensionally-formed foods by binding) can be achieved with such effects that (1) joint use of kitchen salt is not necessary and a liquation step of protein such as myosin to increase viscosity is not required, (2) meat pieces and food materials can be bound strongly in their unheated raw state, and (3) bound-formed foods as the final products have no problems in terms of their taste and savor.
In addition, since the aforementioned process disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open (Kokai) No. Hei 2-79956 is limited in its application to animal meat only, great concern has also been directed, in the field of process food industries, toward the establishment of a binding agent and a binding method having a wide range of applicability so that they can be applied not only to animal meat but also to other various food raw materials especially fish slices, fishes and shellfishes such as squids, cuttlefishes, crabs and the like, and fish eggs such as salmon roe, herring roe, salted salmon roe, salted pollack roe and the like.
Establishment of these techniques has a great social significance from the viewpoint of the effective utilization of natural resources.